With a large group of experienced and accomplished runners, the nationally ranked Hope College women's cross country team is poised with the best NCAA Division III has to offer in the 2016 season.

Coach Mark Northuis and the Flying Dutch are ranked 13th in the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association national preseason poll. They also top the Great Lakes Regional preseason rankings.

Hope returns five of its top seven runners from a group that placed 28th at the national meet and captured a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship, including All-American Erin Herrmann.

Northuis is back after being named Great Lakes Regional Women's Coach of the Year in 2015.

Head coach: Mark Northuis

Assistant coaches: Patrick Weisgerber, Brian VanZanten

Roster: 45

Class breakdown: Seniors - 7, Juniors - 8, Sophomores - 13, Freshmen - 17

Runners to watch: Erin Herrmann became the eighth different Flying Dutch cross country runner to earn All-America honors with a 34th-place finish at nationals.  Senior Emily Joosse was second-fastest at nationals for the Flying Dutch. Sophomores Sarah Neumar, Avery Lowe and Emily Hamilton also competed at nationals last season.

2016 opener: Saturday, Sept. 3 at the Vanderbilt Invitational at Ridge Point Community Church.

Of note: Hope will host the Great Lakes Regional race on Saturday, Nov. 12 at West Ottawa Golf Course. The Flying Dutch claimed USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors last season as well as the MIAA Team GPA award. Twenty-one Hope runners made the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.

Check below to watch a video interview with Coach Northuis.